Childhood reflections with a touch of grace: Don’t stand too close to the edge

Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. I developed a taste for mischief early in life. Thanks in part to my older brothers, who were great teachers, though I needed no instructions for how to embarrass my siblings. At age 3, I was certain that peeing off of the front porch when the school bus came by would do the trick. Judging by the raucous laughter that could be heard at my first fountain of fun, I was right. I continued this game for several days, until my zeal for the attention got the best of me. One early morning, I ran like a track star to the porch’s edge to deliver my daily performance, but I failed to pay attention to where I was standing. I was so close to the edge that any